Creed 3 Likely Would Not Feature Conor McGregor

Creed 3 Likely Would Not Feature Conor McGregor

While Michael Jordan has made it clear he would like to continue making Creed movies, at this point we have no idea what form such a sequel could take. Who would be the new opponent for Adonis Creed? It seems that now the only thing we can guess right now is that it probably won't be MMA star Conor McGregor. Michael B. Jordan was recently asked what he thought of the idea of bringing in McGregor for Creed III and the actor seemed less than thrilled with the concept, saying...

Eh, I don't know about that man.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

The idea of Conor McGregor making the jump from the octagon to the silver screen has come up before. He was apparently in talks to star in The Predator at some point, though director Shane Black insists he was never actually offered the lead.

It seems like only a matter of time before the MMA fighter parlays his celebrity into something that doesn't include as many shots to the nose. Most recently McGregor has said that he's done with MMA, so if he wanted to try his hand at movies, now is as good a time as any.

However, one assumes that Michael B. Jordan is a guy who largely gets to determine his own fate in the Creed franchise so if he's not sold on the idea, it's unlikely to happen. Since his comment to TMZ is far from excited, perhaps the next movie should look elsewhere for an idea.

Following the success of Creed II many have suggested that a future Creed film could bring back other previous Rocky opponents as Creed II did with Ivan Drago. The suggestion that Rocky III's Clubber Lang, as played by Mr. T, could return has been made, but it's far from certain that a future sequel would go back to the well like that once again.

With Sylvester Stallone indicating that he's done playing Rocky Balboa after Creed II, it would seem to make a lot more sense for Creed III to go off in a new direction and find a more original opponent. There's certainly the opportunity to tell more of Adonis Creed's story, but how he moves on without his mentor and surrogate father seems like the most interesting way to do it.

Of course, I'm not sure anybody has asked Conor McGregor if he's like to co-star in Creed III and if he does, it's always possible something could be worked out. If there's a good enough story anything is possible.

Creed II out grossed the first film in the franchise, which would seem to make a third entry a pretty strong possibility considering all the creative forces are also interested in returning to the series.

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Looks Like Toy Story 4 Will Include Flashbacks, So Bring Your Tissues

Looks Like Toy Story 4 Will Include Flashbacks, So Bring Your Tissues

It was a very exciting morning for Disney fans, as the first full trailer for Toy Story 4 finally arrived online. Woody, Buzz, and the gang are back together, and going on an epic journey across country with their new kid, Bonnie. Along the way, we'll meet some adorable new characters, while also being reunited with Annie Potts's Bo Peep since her noticeable absence in Toy Story 3.

The trailer revealed the basics of the movie's plot, but also showed some of the ways Toy Story 4 will be unique to the first three films. In addition to taking the group of toys on a road trip, it looks like the franchise is breaking new ground with the ample use of flashbacks. Specifically, the footage shows the toys during their time with their original kid, Andy.

The flashbacks pop up a few times throughout the course of the trailer, although the biggest gut punch shows a young Andy back in his iconic bedroom. Signature Red Cowboy hat in tow, he plays with Jessie, Bullseye, and Buzz Lightyear. It shows the love between those toys and their owner, and once again hammers down the heart-wrenching ending of Toy Story 3.

Also featured in the Toy Story 4 trailer are several shots of Bo Peep back in Andy's house with Woody. The duo of toys were the love story of the first two movies, although Bo was unceremoniously written off in the threequel. Andy's sister Molly kicked her to the curb sometime in between the second and third movies, and Annie Potts' signature Toy Story character was barely mentioned at all.

But we see Bo Peep back in her classic outfit in the first Toy Story 4 trailer, so it looks like the upcoming animated blockbuster will take us back to simpler times. While flashbacks were used briefly in moments like Jessie's Song in Toy Story 2, the franchise hasn't relied much on that macguffin. Until now.

As a reminder, you can check out the trailer below, complete with the flashback moments.

I'm not crying, you're crying.

Toy Story 3 proved to be the most emotionally devastating movie of the franchise, although it's clear the the upcoming fourth installment isn't taking any prisoners either. It should be interesting to see how the property outdoes itself in regards to tears, as the toys' near-death experience and passing to Bonnie in the threequel reduced the generations of fans into puddles.

All will be revealed when Toy Story 4 arrives in theaters on June 21st. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Robert Pattinson’s Casting As Batman Was Reportedly Super Quick

Robert Pattinson’s Casting As Batman Was Reportedly Super Quick

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, and continues to surprise the generations of fans out there. While Warner Bros.' shared universe has hit its stride with blockbusters like Aquaman and Shazam!, there's been some interesting developments when it comes to the handling of the Caped Crusader.

Ben Affleck has officially retired from playing Bruce Wayne/ Batman, and Twilight alum Robert Pattinson recently landed the role for Matt Reeves' The Batman. It's a casting decision that has resulted in the full gamut of emotions from DC fans, but it appears that the casting process was actually quite quick-- especially for such an iconic superhero role.

According to THR, who has an insider on production for The Batman, Robert Pattinson's audition and eventual landing of the role was much quicker than usual. This makes a great deal of sense, as there's a ton of pressure in casting superheroes for the big screen. Marvel Studios famously saw tons of actors for Spider-Man, before landing on Tom Holland as the iconic web crawler.

Since Batman is perhaps the most popular DC character in history, one would expect Warner Bros. and The Batman's Matt Reeves to take their time finding the right actor to don the cape and cowl. But rumors about Robert Pattinson were followed quickly with an official confirmation by the director, so it seems like a pretty brief process from the outside. And this new report confirms that Gotham's Knight was found quickly.

Conversation about who might replace Ben Affleck as Batman in the DCEU began before he even dropped out of the role. After he backed away from both directing and starring in The Batman, it was clear that Matt Reeves was going to need to find new talent to make the developing blockbuster a reality. And Robert Pattinson reportedly wasn't the only actor considered for the role.

Related: Why Now Is The Best Time For Robert Pattinson's Batman

After the first rumors about Robert Pattinson's possible tenure as Batman hit the internet, it was also reported that X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult was Pattinson's main competition. They both reportedly tested for the role, with the Twilight alum winning out, and officially replacing Ben Affleck as the next live-action Bruce Wayne.

This breakneck pace might be in an attempt to get The Batman out in theaters at its current release date. The movie has been developing for quite some time, and it's set to arrive in theaters on June 25th, 2021. Matt Reeves will need to start assembling the cast and crew in order to make this a reality, as the script has been the main focus of the film's long gestation period.

With Robert Pattinson officially attached as Batman, it should be interesting to see what other actors join him. Quite a few performers have been campaigning to play some of Batman's rogues, including Josh Gad and Vanessa Hudgens. We'll just have to see if the movie ends up being the villain-heavy ensemble project that was rumored months sago.

The Batman will arrive in theaters on June 25th, 2021. The next installment in the DCEU is Birds of Prey on February 7th 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Bond 25 Production Suspended After Daniel Craig Suffers Injury

Bond 25 Production Suspended After Daniel Craig Suffers Injury

Production on the as-yet-untitled James Bond 25 has reached a standstill as lead actor Daniel Craig apparently has injured himself badly on set and needs time to recover.

Daniel Craig and the rest of the cast and crew for Bond 25 were in Jamaica filming scenes for the upcoming 007 thriller, due to reach theaters in 2020. According to The Sun, Craig slipped while running in his signature Bond suit, and he fell awkwardly, causing himself an enormous amount of pain. It’s believed that Craig injured his ankle while running, and the actor was flown to the States for X-rays to determine the extent of the damage.

According to the report, Daniel Craig was filming one of his last scenes in Jamaica, with filming set to resume in London’s Pinewood Studios afterward. For the time being, that schedule has been put on hold as the crew decides what to do next. The Sun notes that production bosses hope that Craig’s injury doesn’t cause a long delay.

Daniel Craig has been recognized as the more physical James Bond from the moment he joined the franchise in 2006’s Casino Royale, and he has endured his fair share of bumps, bruises and bodily harms as a result of playing 007. As is documented in The Sun, Craig lost two teeth after absorbing a blow to the face while filming his first-ever stunt scene as 007.

Since then, Craig also has suffered a muscle tear while filming Quantum of Solace (during which he also sliced off the tip of a finger), and sustained a serious knee injury while filming a fight scene for Spectre, which caused production to shut down for weeks.

Who is on set telling Daniel Craig to slow it down a tad? Maybe the studio needs to hire a coach who encourages Craig to give the stunt guy more work? Granted, without Craig in the role, we wouldn’t get memorable action set pieces like this:

But does Daniel Craig still feel like this physical pain is worth it? The 51-year-old actor hemmed and hawed about returning to 007 in the press, leading to rampant speculation that he’d be replaced by an alternate Bond. Even now though it hasn’t been officially stated by anyone, many seem to believe that Bond 25 will be Craig’s final turn in the tuxedo, and on-set injuries probably help convince him to hang it up.

Cary Fukunaga directs Bond 25, with a story we know very little about. The cast was in Jamaica to announce the start of production, knowing that the location has a lot of personal and professional connections to author Ian Fleming and the Bond movie series, as a whole.

We’ll see how Daniel Craig fell when Bond 25 opens in theaters on April 8, 2020.

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Avengers: Endgame Has A Deep-Cut Iron Man 3 Reference That's Surprising Fans

Avengers: Endgame Has A Deep-Cut Iron Man 3 Reference That's Surprising Fans

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are ahead!

Tony Stark has been one of the most important characters in the go since it launched, but let’s not forget that it’s been six years since his solo film series wrapped up. Iron Man 3 marked the last time Tony embarked on a standalone journey on screen, and while that movie wasn’t nearly as important as other past MCU entries in the now-released Avengers: Endgame, the Phase 3 capper did reference Iron Man’s last solo outing through one of the characters it introduced: Harley Keener.

As some Marvel fans guessed in the lead-up to Avengers: Endgame, the movie saw Tony Stark being killed, as he was mortally wounded when harnessing the power of the Infinity Stones to turn Thanos and his forces to dust. Tony’s funeral was held soon after, and Ty Simpkins’ Harley Keener was one of the people in attendance.

Unlike most of the other familiar faces in that crowd, Harley Keener only had the one Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance under his belt. That, plus the fact that it’s been six years since we last saw the character (within the MCU timeline, around a decade has passed) and he’s grown up a lot, and one couldn’t be faulted for not recognizing that Harley was back to honor Tony.

It is worth pointing out that if you followed the development of Avengers: Endgame closely, Harley Keener’s appearance might not come as a total shock. Back in October 2017, it was reported that Ty Simpkins, who has since appeared in movies like Jurassic World and The Nice Guys, would reprise the role. So that ultimately came to fruition.

What didn’t pan out was a separate rumor that claimed that Harley Keener would appear alongside Tony Stark as he used his B.A.R.F. (Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing) technology to study the Battle of New York. B.A.R.F., which was first shown in Captain America: Civil War, didn’t appear at all in Endgame, as the heroes were revisiting key moments in MCU history through actual time travel.

Tony Stark and Harley Keener crossed paths in Iron Man 3 when the former was transported to Tennessee by J.A.R.V.I.S. after the Stark mansion was destroyed by The Mandarin’s minions. With Harley’s help, Tony learned about Extremis, and at the end of the movie, Harley came back to his garage filled various mechanical and robotic presents from Tony, a.k.a. The Mechanic.

There was potential for Harley to become Tony Stark’s protege down the line, but that role was eventually filled by Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man. Still, it was nice that Avengers: Endgame brought Harley back for a cameo to remind us of an earlier era in the MCU and in Tony’s life. Who knows, even though Iron Man is dead, perhaps Harley could pop up in a different corner of this franchise in the coming years.

Don’t forget to read CinemaBlend’s review of Avengers: Endgame, and stay tuned for more updates about the future of the MCU. Those of you interested in what other movies are coming out later this year can find that information in our 2019 release schedule.

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8 Marvel Movie Characters Who Could Be Skrulls In Disguise

8 Marvel Movie Characters Who Could Be Skrulls In Disguise

Captain Marvel introduced a lot of new ideas and revelations to the MCU, but the most significant -- outside of Carol herself -- might just be the Skrulls. Comic book nerds are hoping that now that the shape-shifting Skrulls are in the picture, it won't be too long before Marvel Studios adapts the Secret Invasion storyline. The comic event featured the Skrulls playing the long game and systematically replacing key super heroes in order to take over the planet.

As to whether the MCU can even do this story is up to debate now that Captain Marvel introduced a more sympathetic version of the Skrulls. However, nothing is ever really off the table with the MCU and so we have to wonder: if Secret Invasion is in the works, what character has secretly been a Skrull this whole time? Someone would have to be a Skrull for the story to have any impact, and it just so happens that we have a few ideas.

Before we begin, here's my rationale for picking my choices:

1. There's no evidence to suggest the Skrulls can also copy superpowers beyond their own natural abilities. Otherwise, they all just would have copied Carol to have an unbeatable army of Captain Marvels. So, only normal humans are options.

2. The character has to make logical sense. If you are trying to take over the world, you're not going to take over a position that has no strategic value.

3. If the Skrulls are taking over Earth, it doesn't make sense to replace a Guardian of the Galaxy or other cosmic characters. That means we're keeping things strictly on Earth.

4. No love interests. It's crossing a very icky line for a Skrull to date anyone while lying about their true identity.

So, who are we looking at?

Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross

This is one of the more obvious and popular candidates, but there's a good reason for that. Thaddeus Ross is the Secretary of State, which means he's in one of the highest seats our government has to offer. The Skrull would be able to lay the ground work and use some political influence to prepare the planet for invasion, like, oh, I don't know...trying to control the Earth's superheroes and influence what they can and can't do. That's where the Sokovia Accords come into play and it could have been "Ross'" attempt to take some big pieces off of the chess board. Plus, there's a big gap in Ross' story. How does he go from being a washed up general getting wasted in the middle of the day to the Secretary of State? Maybe the Skrulls replaced the drunk Ross with their own man and got him a seat in Washington?

Everett Ross

The Skrulls are going after all of the Ross'. It makes sense that the Skrulls would want a man inside of the CIA to keep tabs on everything and further advance the invasion. Everett Ross seems to be in a high enough position to hold some sway. Of course, the real reason to go for Ross above all other agents is because of his close relationship to Wakanda, the most powerful country in the world. Controlling Wakanda would be a top tier item for the Skrulls, and Ross has already got the trust of Black Panther and the royal family. It'd be pretty lucky if a Skrull became Ross and THEN got swept up into the Wakanda business, so I think Ross would be replaced after the events of Black Panther.

Erik Selvig

Erik Selvig has been around since Phase One and his big brain has helped to save the day on more than one occasion. However, he just might be a little too smart. Not only was Selvig able to build a portal machine from the Tessaract but he was also able to nullify the effects of the Aether in Thor: The Dark World. It's possible for a human to be that smart, but it would make sense if he was actually a brilliant Skrull science guy. If he were a Skrull then that means that he was able to study the Tesseract for an unknown amount of time, getting vital data on a potential resource. He also worked closely with the Avengers, putting him in the position of a mole.

Hank Pym

This one is admittedly a long shot, but it would certainly be an impactful reveal. For starters, Hank Pym is one of the smartest men on the planet and he keeps a portal to another dimension in the back of a van. He's definitely a worthwhile target to replace. If Hank were a Skrull, that would hit fans right where they live. He's obviously a big character in the Ant-Man franchise and people have grown attached to him. I'm kind of breaking my no love interest rule here because 90% of Hank's motivations are to be reunited with his wife, Janet, but that doesn't stop him from getting replaced after Janet is rescued. The Skrull Hank can then avoid getting too friendly with her. Plus, Hank Pym was a Skrull in the comic book as well.

Maria Hill

Maria Hill is a perfect candidate to be a Skrull. She's not had a lot of spotlight but she's recognizable to fans. Hill is also a small enough character where it doesn't break continuity if she was a Skrull the whole time. Iron Man can't be a Skrull because then we've been following a fraud for 11 years, but Hill doesn't have that problem. She's also Fury's right-hand woman and is privy to a lot of information. It's a no-brainer for a Skrull to assume her position to gain intel and influence to prepare for the invasion. The only drawback is that Hill might be too obvious a suspect to be a secret Skrull.

Queen Ramonda

Wakanda is the most powerful country in the world and pretty much dominates in all categories. They have the best technology, the best weapons, the best defenses, and the best warriors. Wakanda already proved it's capable of matching an alien invasion, so of course it would be the number one obstacle to remove for the Skrulls. The best way to do that is to get someone in a powerful position on the inside, and there aren't too many more powerful than the queen. Queen Ramonda has the ear of the king and is privy to all the goings-on of Wakanda. Plus, it would be a major blow to Black Panther to find out his mom was replaced by an alien.

Sharon Carter

Again, it looks like I am breaking my love interest rule, but I don't think sharing one kiss really counts. Cap moves slow, people! While Sharon Carter's position as a CIA agent probably makes her a suitable target, it's really her proximity to Captain America that makes her valuable to the Skrull. By replacing one of Cap's friends, the Skrulls would be easily able to measure Cap's movements and gain access to his inner circle. Of course, all of this is assuming that Cap makes it out of Avengers: Endgame alive, which seems...unlikely at this point.

War Machine

War Machine as a Skrull makes a shocking amount of sense when you really think about it. If you were a Skrull, you would probably try to assimilate into the U.S. military. Maybe you also decide to befriend a notable arms dealer and covertly gain access to his cache of advanced weapons. Then maybe you get lucky enough to actually get one of his battle suits all to your own. And if you're going to be a superhero, then you might as well hang out with all of them and join their ranks, collecting intel and weaknesses all the while. It could be that Rhodey was just playing us all this time and rolling with the punches as they come. It would certainly be a gut punch to both fans and Iron Man if this beloved supporting character has been a villain the entire time.

I'm still a little skeptical on whether Marvel should make a Secret Invasion movie after learning more about the Skrulls and their situation, but the people at Marvel are also much smarter than me. Maybe they already know how it would work! If that's the case, this list features some prime choices for secret Skrulls that can make us doubt everything we know. We're still a long way off from a Secret Invasion movie, but the long game is Marvel's specialty.

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Tim Burton Has No Interest In Doing Another Superhero Movie

Tim Burton Has No Interest In Doing Another Superhero Movie

Years before the superhero movie genre as a whole started to become popular in Hollywood, Tim Burton took DC Comics’ Caped Crusader into his hands with 1989’s Batman and 1992’s Batman Returns, two movies that took the vigilante in a drastically different direction compared to the 1960s campy version that the public knew best. Now that superhero movies are heavy hitters at the box office, you might have wondered if Burton has considered directing another superhero movie, but alas, he’s not willing to contribute to that genre again. As the director put it:

I do feel grateful being there at a time when it felt new. I don’t know that I could get that excitement again saying, ‘I’m going to go do Squirrel Boy for Marvel.’

I don’t know, I feel like Squirrel Boy could benefit from Tim Burton’s gothic and eccentric touch. In all seriousness, Burton does have a point. When he was working on Batman, Superman, played by Christopher Reeve, was the only superhero who’d experienced any major success leading full-length theatrical movies. This genre was largely untapped, and since Burton’s Batman movie was pulling from the character’s darker roots rather than replicating the formula of the Batman TV series, that allowed him to take more creative liberties. As a result, both Batman and Batman Returns showed those unfamiliar with the comics that Batman could be a darker character, though it’d be another decade before other superheroes started to be brought to the silver screen and experience the same kind of success Burton’s Batman movies did.

Now with both Marvel and DC churning out multiple superhero movies each year, Tim Burton made it clear during his interview with The Toronto Sun that he’s not interested in delving back into this world since there’s so many of these kinds of stories and he doesn’t think he can generate the same amount of enthusiasm as he did decades earlier. That said, Burton did almost return to the world of superheroes in the late 1990s when he was tapped to direct Superman Lives, which would have seen Nicolas Cage playing the Man of Steel. However, due to the project’s numerous delays, Burton eventually exited and moved on to Sleepy Hollow.

Of course, it’s not like Tim Burton has any trouble keeping his directing career chugging along since Batman Returns. From Ed Wood to Big Eyes, he’s been making all sorts of movies, most recently delivering the live action Dumbo remake, starring Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton, the last two having acted together under Burton’s watchful eye in Batman Returns. We haven’t learned yet what Burton’s next movie will be, although there has been talk in the past about the possibility of moving forward with a Beetlejuice sequel. The folks at Marvel, though, should make a note not to call him.

As for Batman, with Ben Affleck hanging up the cape and cowl, a new, younger actor will succeed him as Gotham City Dark Knight for Matt Reeves’ The Batman, in theaters on June 25, 2021.

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Why Tolkien’s Work Is Timeless, According To The New Movie’s Cast

Why Tolkien’s Work Is Timeless, According To The New Movie’s Cast

Between the various incarnations of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, as well as the new biopic Tolkien, the fascination with the world of Middle-Earth is one that is still as strong today as it was when this literary legend first got its start.

It certainly isn’t by accident, as the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy franchise has captivated the imagination of audiences since The Hobbit’s first publication in 1936. And no one knows this better than the cast of director Dome Karukoski’s film centered around the years that Tolkien himself spent in the halls of academia and the trenches of war.

Depending on who you talk to, there are various aspects to J.R.R. Tolkien’s work that attract any particular reader. And as it happens, CinemaBlend was on hand during the press day for Tolkien, and was able to ask the actors present on the day just what makes those works so timeless. In the case of Nicholas Hoult, the man who plays Tolkien himself, those works of literature stand out for the following reasons:

I think it feels so real, and that is a testament to how creative and in depth his knowledge of language and the worlds he created were. It’s completely immersive, his work. So that’s something that no matter what age you read it at, and luckily for me going back to revisit it to research this, I appreciated it in a whole new way.

Of course, J.R.R. Tolkien didn’t create the world of Middle Earth in a vacuum, and there were a couple very important people that stand out in both the story of the author’s life, as well as the film version that Tolkien will dramatize for audiences that will see the film in theaters.

One such person was the love of his life, Edith Bratt, who is played in the film by Lily Collins. When asked what she felt made Tolkien’s work so special, she shared some of the same aspects that Nicholas Hoult had highlighted, but with some additional details as to how her character fit into the legend behind the history.

In particular, Collins had the following to say on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien:

I think his love of language, and his love of magic and fantasy is something that people are going to always resonate with, because it’s a form of escapism. Edith [Bratt] got that out of his storytelling, and it was a way for her to really leave her present existence. You know, she was a woman of the time, she was an orphan, she had a very specific social standing, and didn’t have many prospects, and so this allowed her the ability to disappear. I think we love the ability to go somewhere else for a little while in our heads, and these stories allow us to do that.

As there is a lot of romantic love to be highlighted in the world of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, especially when it comes to the Elvish beauties that Edith Bratt had inspired Tolkien to create, there’s also a strong bond of fellowship.

That particular branch of the mythos that J.R.R. Tolkien wove into his works came from the friendship he had with a personal society of school friends known as the Tea Club, Barovian Society, or TCBS for short. In Tolkien, the world of this informal fraternity is depicted at length, as the author and his friends, Geoffrey Bache Smith, Robert Q. Gilson, and Christopher Wiseman, are seen creating the club and using it to achieve their great goal in life: to change the world through art.

Played respectively by actors Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson, and Tom Glynn-Carney, they too had a unique perspective as to why J.R.R. Tolkien’s work translates so well through the ages, as shown below in their individual remarks during a grouped interview:

Glynn-Carney: His incredible capability to create another world, out of nothing. To be as imaginative as he is, and to see it in such vivid technicolor, and be able to bring it to life.

Boyle: Few authors have had the sort of cultural impact that Tolkien has had.

Gibson: And to be able to incorporate such human stories at the middle of a fantastical world, you feel like you could know those characters, yet it’s a tree. It’s Treebeard, and you think you’ve met him before.

With both massive sales of his printed works, as well as the various adaptations for stage and screen that have seen The Lord of the Rings presented to the world, J.R.R. Tolkien’s impact on the world of fantasy is one that isn’t going to go away any time soon. This is especially true when taking into account the fact that Amazon is about to bring the world of Middle-Earth back to the masses, courtesy of their upcoming epic TV series.

Though you can see just how excited the cast is about the works of Tolkien, as well as their part in bringing his personal story to life, in the footage from the Tolkien press day shown below:

While storytelling and fantasy have come a long way since J.R.R. Tolkien's era of literature, the core values of Tolkien's storytelling have never gone out of style. So even if audiences aren't particularly keyed into the author's famous tales, his work lives on due to his influence being felt on stories like Harry Potter and even Game of Thrones.

Tolkien opens in theaters in early showings this Thursday night. If you’re interested in more coverage with the cast of the film, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for further updates as the week goes on.

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The Flash’s Ezra Miller Is Now Working On The Script With A DC Comics Heavyweight

The Flash’s Ezra Miller Is Now Working On The Script With A DC Comics Heavyweight

Despite being one of the first DC Extended Universe projects to be announced, The Flash has faced numerous obstacles over the years. Ezra Miller first cameoed as Barry Allen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, and later made his full debut as the Scarlet Speedster in Justice League, but the Flash movie itself has continually been delayed due to director departures, script changes, scheduling issues, etc. Now Miller is reportedly tackling writing duties on The Flash as well, but he’s not alone, as longtime DC Comics writer Grant Morrison is helping him out.

According to THR, this latest development on the script front comes as a result of conflicting creative visions between Ezra Miller and The Flash directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The duo, who were tapped to helm The Flash early last year, want to go in a lighthearted direction with the movie, similar to what’s been done with Aquaman, which has grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide, and Shazam!, which is getting positive early buzz. Miller, on the other hand, wants The Flash to be darker, and he subsequently took the initiative to work on the script with Grant Morrison, whose DC Comics credits include runs on Batman, Justice League of America, Doom Patrol and, especially fitting here, The Flash, not to mention miniseries like All-Star Superman, Final Crisis and The Multiversity.

Needless to say that Ezra Miller working on The Flash’s script is going the extra mile, and the report notes that the actor is “deeply committed to the character.” That said, depending on how this all works out, it could affect Miller’s future as The Fastest Man Alive. If Warner Bros decides it doesn’t like Miller’s take on The Flash, then the actor might leave the project. Miller’s holding deal on The Flash also apparently expires in May, so the involved parties will, ironically, need to work fast to settle all this if the actor is going to stay on board. This new script could be turned into the studio as early as next week.

It should be noted that even if Ezra Miller were to depart from The Flash, it wouldn’t mark the end of his relationship with Warner Bros. He’s still attached to reprise Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts 3, which begins shooting this fall. Nevertheless, the prospect of Ezra Miller leaving Flash behind if he can’t reach an understanding with the studio would be a big shakeup, although that wouldn’t be the only DC superhero recasting in the DCEU. In January, Ben Affleck confirmed in January he won’t play Batman again, and a younger actor is being looked for to play the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.

We’ll have to wait and see what creative direction The Flash ultimately ends up going and whether Ezra Miller will be a part of it, but at least the actor has a comic book veteran in his corner to help him hash out the story he has in mind. When we last saw Miller’s Barry Allen at the end of Justice League, he had been hired by the Central City Police Department and was continuing his superhero activities. At one point the Flash movie was going to be an adaptation of 2011’s Flashpoint, and while that no longer appears to be happening, it is one of the darker Flash comic book storylines, so maybe the script Miller and Grant Morrison are working on could draw inspiration from it.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for any updates on The Flash’s progress, but in the meantime, look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is in development for this superhero franchise.

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Charlie's Angels: What We Know So Far

Charlie's Angels: What We Know So Far

It's no secret that this modern age of entertainment has seen remakes, reboots and re-imaginings of popular properties come and go with a speed that would leave many race car drivers dizzy. Pretty much any well-known TV show, movie, comic, book, etc has either already been re-adapted for the screen or is currently being considered for another go-round in movie or television form.

Now, it would seem that the time has come, once again, for Charlie's Angels to come back with a new cast and an updated twist on the premise that's been around in two TV shows and a previous movie franchise reboot that begin in 2000. So, let's jump right in and see what this latest version of the tale has in store for us!

When Is The Charlie's Angels Release Date?

Originally, Charlie's Angels was set to debut on November 1, 2019. As of late March of the same year, though, the movie was pushed a couple of weekends ahead to a November 15 release. So, why the change of just a couple of weeks? Well, the film's previous release date was set to put it up against the highly anticipated Terminator: Dark Fate, which will bring back both Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger for what's being billed as a proper sequel to 1991's Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

While Charlie's Angels might not necessarily be looking at the same target audience as Dark Fate, the studio behind the film is said to believe that it will have strong legs overseas, which tends to be true for big budget action movies like Dark Fate as well. It would seem that they're trying to give Charlie and his (her?) Angels some more breathing room at the box office, both domestically and internationally.

Right now, there are no other action / adventure movies debuting on November 15, but Frozen 2 will finally hit theaters the next weekend, so time will tell whether or not Charlie's Angels can gain and hold onto an audience.

What Is The Charlie's Angels Rating?

Movie edits are basically living, breathing entities that take on lives of their own. Well, ok, not really. But, the final edit of a movie that we end up seeing in theaters takes months to assemble, and can change, sometimes kind of a lot, up until a month or so away from the release date.

This means that, in every case, the MPAA waits until very near the release to bug studios about screening a finished cut of each film, so that what they watch and rate for us is actually the film that the filmmakers will be putting into theaters. As such, we won't know for sure what Charlie's Angels will be rated for quite some time yet, even though the movie is (as of late April 2019) listed as being in post-production, which is an indication that editing is already likely underway.

However, based on some previous comments about the tone of the new film, and what's come before, we can speculate. While the movie will be a comedy, star Kristen Stewart has said that it will lack the kitsch element that the Drew Barrymore films were fond of. Additionally, star and director Elizabeth Banks (more on her later) said while she was still developing the movie that she was working with the studio to see what would be right for Charlie's Angels, but was open to making it R-rated.

That said, both previous big screen installments were PG-13, but without that slightly silly element, we could see a Charlie's Angels that really kicks things up a notch and gives us an R-rated adventure.

What Is The Charlie's Angels Story?

After months of hearing reports of there being multiple Bosleys and the Townsend Agency going global, late April 2019 brought us some clearer information regarding the new film. First of all, this is not a remake of either the original 1970s show or the early '00s movies, but a continuation of the franchise that will expand upon what we've already seen. According to star Elizabeth Banks (who we'll get into more in a bit), Charlie's Angels will, in fact, feature a Townsend Agency that has grown a lot since we first saw Sabrina, Jill and Kelly go undercover and fight crime.

The success of that first agency has led to branches all over the world, which will, naturally, lead to there being many more than three Angels and multiple Bosleys (one of whom will be played by Elizabeth Banks). Part of the focus of the movie will be on these groups of Angels working together to take down the bad guys, with Banks saying that the action will be more grounded than what we saw in the Drew Barrymore / Lucy Liu / Cameron Diaz films, adding that team dynamics will likely remind audiences of those seen in more recent Mission: Impossible movies.

And, if you're worried there will be too many Angels involved for you to get to know any of them well, don't worry. This new tale will still see the story from the point of view of three main ladies, played by Kristen Stewart, Ella Balinska and Naomi Scott.

Who's Directing And Writing Charlie's Angels?

Back in the fall of 2015, when a new Charlie's Angels movie was just starting to get off the ground, actress Elizabeth Banks became attached as director. While she was mostly known for her work in a wide variety of comedies, she had just released her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2, which turned out well for her, as the movie was a hit with audiences and critics alike.

That success likely put her on Sony's radar for Charlie's Angels, and it seems that she had an idea for the movie that they loved as well, because not only did she nab the directing gig and get a part in the movie as one of the Bosleys, but she also stepped in to help write the script.

The screenplay has gone through a few writers at this point, including Evan Spiliotopoulos (Hercules), Pulitzer Prize winner David Auburn and the team of Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard, so it seems that Banks had a clearer idea of how to fulfill her desire to make the story matter and bring some richly developed characters to the screen.

Kristen Stewart - Sabina Wilson

Let's start with the most well-known of the main three Angels, shall we? And, this isn't just because Kristen Stewart's Sabina is described as being the team's leader. Apparently, when director / writer / co-star Elizabeth Banks decided to take on this project, one of the first things that came to her was the idea that the erstwhile Twilight star should be one of Charlie's Angels. Here's what she said at a recent luncheon during CinemaCon:

I’m somebody who believes that 90% of the job is casting. I mean, I’m an actor so of course I believe that [laughs]. But I really do believe that is key. I want to see from Robert Downey Jr. play Tony Stark; I don’t want to see anyone else do it. I want to see Kristen Stewart be a Charlie’s Angel and I didn’t want to see [anyone else do it.]

Well, that's simple enough. Once Banks had one Angel in mind, she just worked to convince Kristen Stewart that the film was one she should be a part of. Aside from being the group leader, the only other thing we know about Sabina is that she's good at partying. How that will help in her work as an Angel, I don't know, but Stewart has taken on a wide variety of intriguing roles since her time with the sparkly vamps of her youth, so there's no doubt that the role, and film as a whole appealed to her, and that she'll bring something cool to her work as Sabina.

Naomi Scott - Elena Houghlin

Next among our main Angels is Naomi Scott, who will be making her second blockbuster appearance just a few months before Charlie's Angels when she stars as Princess Jasmine in Disney's live action Aladdin. When Elizabeth Banks spoke about how she cast the other Angels, once she had Kristen Stewart on board, she noted that making sure she had actresses who could provide something very different from Stewart was important. Here's what Banks said about it during that same CinemaCon panel:

I wanted to give her other Angels that were not anything like her so that she could pull energy from and bounce off of and work off of. Because it’s the dynamism in the scenes that makes her really fun.

So, Banks wanted Scott's Elena, and the third Angel (who we'll talk about in a bit), to really provide a nice counterpoint to what Stewart was doing as Sabina. Scott, who also played the Pink Ranger in 2017's Power Rangers reboot (alongside Elizabeth Banks' Rita Repulsa) is said to be portraying the “heart of the movie,” and her character is also the science whiz of the group, so we'll see before long what kind of energy she brings to the role, and Charlie's Angels as a whole.

Ella Balinska - Jane Kano

To complete the main Angelic triangle, Ella Balinska will round out the cast as Jane Kano. All we know about Jane so far is that she's an ex-MI6 agent who's very skilled. Skilled at what, you might ask? Well, she survived a stint in MI-6, so I imagine she's skilled at lots of fancy spy-type things that will make her a wonderful addition to the Charlie's Angels team.

You can be forgiven for not having heard of Ella Balinska at this point, as the London-born actress has mostly worked in TV in her home country, and just got her first film credit in 2015. But, considering the effort that Elizabeth Banks has put into this project from the beginning, and her desire to have all the characters have depth and personality, there's no doubt that Balinska (and Jane) will help make the team great fun to watch.

Djimon Hounsou - Bosley

As was mentioned earlier, while there is a main team of Angels that we will follow as they attempt to foil some fiendish plot, the ladies will be working in conjunction with other groups of Angels. Because of this, the film will have multiple Bosleys, with the name now being used as a title within the much-expanded Townsend Agency. Right now, we only know for sure that the movie will have three of these characters, and Djimon Hounsou will be joining Elizabeth Banks in this role.

We don't know what city (or country) Hounsou's Angels will operate out of, but considering the actor's action-heavy resume, it's possible we might actually get to see him get in on some of the adventure. The two-time Oscar nominee has now been in some of the biggest blockbusters of all time, with his work being seen in Captain Marvel, Aquaman, Shazam! and Guardians of the Galaxy, along with films like In America, Gladiator, Furious 7 and the upcoming Kingsmen: The Great Game.

Patrick Stewart - Bosley

And now we come to Bosely number three, who will be portrayed by a man known for leading many a team of intrepid adventurers as they try to save the world. Patrick Stewart, probably best known either as Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard or X-Men's Charles Xavier, looks to be rounding out our Bosley contingent for this iteration of Charlie's Angels.

Just like with the Bosley played by Djimon Hounsou, though, we don't know where Stewart's Bosley and his particular Angels will call home. And, while the acclaimed actor certainly has the gravitas to lead his Angels with Shakespearean class, it would be nice if his Bosley allowed Stewart to bring some of his daffy American Dad-esq tendencies to the role, just so we could get a different version of big screen leadership from Sir Patrick Stewart.

Noah Centineo - Langston

OK, everyone can go ahead and get really excited about Charlie's Angels now, because your favorite rom-com boyfriend, Noah Centineo, has a part in the film. Fittingly, the To All The Boys I've Loved Before star is rumored to be playing a character named Langston, the love interest of one of the Angels. While we don't know anything else about his character, my bet is on him either being totally in the dark about his potential love's line of work, or being a bad guy who's cozying up to the Angel in the hopes of getting info he shouldn't be able to get.

After breaking out on the Freeform show The Fosters, Centineo has quickly become known for his Netflix teen romantic comedies, which also include Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and The Perfect Date. He's currently filming the sequel for To All The Boys I've Loved Before, and recently confirmed that he'll be taking on the super-powered role of He-Man in the upcoming Masters of the Universe remake.

We just have a few months until Charlie's Angels hits theaters, so be sure to check back with this guide to get all the latest updates on the film!

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Us Box Office: Jordan Peele Horror Dethrones Captain Marvel In Massive Debut

Us Box Office: Jordan Peele Horror Dethrones Captain Marvel In Massive Debut

Daaaaaamn, Jordan Peele. We knew Us would make a lot of money -- much more than the initial projections from $38 million to $48 million -- but Us' opening weekend nearly doubled that. It made $70.2 million from March 22-24, which is literally double what Captain Marvel made this week in its third time on the chart. This is the first time Captain Marvel has been dethroned at #1, after its own better-than-expected debut. Us has set all kinds of records, and we'll get to that and more, but first check out the full top 10 domestic box office chart:

Us set a new record for an original horror movie, easily passing A Quiet Place's $50 million debut. It marked the third best horror opening of all time behind It and Halloween. Also -- and this is pretty cool -- it's the best opening for an original live-action movie since Avatar in 2009, per Deadline. Huzzah for original films!

Us demolished the $33 million opening of Jordan Peele'e previous hit, the 2017 film Get Out. That movie won Jordan Peele the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. It was a tough act to follow, but it also added more anticipation for this film, which must've contributed to the huge opening box office. Plus, no one likes to be spoiled, so many fans rushed to theaters to see what happened in Us before someone spoiled it for them online. (If you're still confused on exactly what happened, here's help.)

Very strong reviews are also known to help at the box office, although fans don't seem to be quite as fond of Us as the critics. The movie currently has a 94% fresh rating from critics but only 69% from RT users, and a "B" CinemaScore from moviegoers polled on opening night.

Us winning doesn't really mean Captain Marvel loses. The MCU movie did see a drop of -48.5% this week (and a loss of 32 screens), but those chart numbers are just from the domestic box office. Captain Marvel currently has a worldwide total of $910,298,835, and it's expected to hit $1 billion later this week. One billion dollars within a month of release? Not too shabby.

Most of the chart order above looks the same as last week's figures from Box Office Mojo. There are some changes, though, like the arrival of Gloria Bell in the top 10. Julianne Moore's movie added 615 screens, putting it up to 654, giving it a box office boost of +394.5% over last week.

Other that that, this weekend pushed How to Train Your Dragon 3 very close to $500M worldwide -- it's currently at $488M -- and Alita: Battle Angel is barely a hair under $400M with a current worldwide gross of $399,866,842. The total may be above $400M by the time you read this, depending on how much still comes in from the impressive foreign box office. But the question remains on whether it can reach $500 million, which seems to be the benchmark people are looking at for profit/sequels.

At any rate, Us should enjoy #1 while it can, because next weekend we have Dumbo and then it's Shazam! time. And in just over one month, Avengers: Endgame will arrive to show every film how box office winning is done. Keep up with everything headed to theaters in busy 2019 with our handy movie schedule.

Did you predict a $70 million opening for Us? If so, now's the perfect time to brag in the comments below. (No one will believe you without proof, but that's fine.)

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Deadpool Is Already Featured On Disney’s Website

Deadpool Is Already Featured On Disney’s Website

It's far too early for us to see a lot of changes in the Walt Disney Company now that the merger with Fox is complete, it's not even lunchtime in Burbank yet. However, one place that has already seen a significant change now that the merger is finally done is the Walt Disney Company website. The company's homepage now has a brand new banner which, in addition to giving us expected character from the likes of Star Wars and Pixar, now includes images of Deadpool, The Simpsons, and Avatar among others. Check it out.

Of the 14 images that make up the new homepage banner, fully half of them are new to The Walt Disney Company as of this morning. The Shape of Water was a former Best Picture winner distributed by Fox Searchlight. While Disney had previously made a deal with James Cameron to include the world of Avatar in the company's theme parks, they only own the rights to the films as of now. The Simpsons come courtesy of 20th Century Fox Television.

The little monkey is likely a reference to the National Geographic cable channel that is now part of Disney. The cricket player is probably there because Disney now owns Star India, a conglomerate of Indian cable channels that spotlight the popular sport. Then you have Deadpool representing 20th Century Fox's film arm, and Donald Glover, who's show Atlanta is a hit on the FX cable channel.

While the website change doesn't necessarily mean anything on its own, it would certainly seem to be an indication of what Disney finds most important of its new acquisitions. There'd be no interest in drawing attention to Deadpool if there were no plans to make new movies under the Disney regime. We know that Avatar is going to continue forward with new films, a couple of them are in production right now, and The Simpsons is showing no sign of ever stopping. It may make new episodes until the heat death of the universe.

National Geographic content is going to be quite important to Disney going forward. The cable channel's library is set to be a major pillar of the content available when Disney+ launches later this year.

Seeing all these popular characters, from Deadpool to Elsa to Bart Simpson, on the same homepage is almost surreal. All of these popular characters now exist in one place. If nothing else, it opens up near endless possibilities for Disney's theme park business. The number of new attractions that could be created to sit alongside the existing ones seems almost limitless.

Over the next several months and years we'll begin to see how this massive pop culture juggernaut actually moves forward with all these properties, but the work has already begun.

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The First Draft Of Avengers: Endgame Was Originally Very Different

The First Draft Of Avengers: Endgame Was Originally Very Different

Major spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. Don't read on if you haven't seen it!

After a long year of waiting, Avengers: Endgame finally hit theaters this past weekend. The 22nd Marvel blockbuster has been breaking records left and right at the box office, and packed more surprises and plot twists than the rabid fandom could have anticipated. Tons of narrative threads were wrapped up, and the OG members of The Avengers were given special care for some of their final outings in the MCU.

Avengers: Endgame obviously went through a few drafts, and it turns out that the contents of the massive blockbuster could have been quite different. Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely handled the script to both Infinity War and Endgame, and recently revealed some of the ways the story changed throughout its development. For instance, the heroes didn't originally travel back to The Avengers' Battle of New York, as McFeely explained:

In the first draft, we didn’t go back to the [original] Avengers movie. We went back to Asgard. But there’s a moment in the MCU, if you’re paying very close attention, where the Aether is there and the Tesseract is in the vault. In that iteration, we were interested in Tony going to Asgard. He had a stealth suit, so he was invisible, and he fought Heimdall, who could see him.

Avengers: Endgame's time heist is massive and extremely ambitious, as the Avengers revisit some of the MCU's most iconic moments. The biggest part of that mission is in the Battle of New York, as three of the Infinity Stones were in the city during that first epic battle. It's hard to imagine the heist going off without visiting New York, although Stephen McFeely revealed they were originally were going to leave The Avengers out of the travel itinerary. Luckily, the duo of writers ultimately changed their mind.

The Avengers has a very important role in the story in the heist, and features a ton of surprising cameos. In addition to being the place where the surviving heroes could accrue a variety of Infinity Stones, the flashback to New York featured appearances by Crossbones, and fellow Captain America: Winter Soldier characters Alexander Pierce and Agent Jasper Sitwell. None of this would have been possible if Endgame's writers decided to avoid The Battle of New York.

Related: Avengers: Endgame Fan Reportedly Hospitalized For Uncontrollable Sobbing

Heimdall related FOMO aside, it sounds like Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely made the right call regarding how the journey through time would function in the story. This isn't exclusive to the Battle of New York, as moments in the Thor and Guardian of the Galaxy franchises also became more important. Of course, there are many Idris Elba fans out there who would have loved to see Heimdall briefly return to the world of the living in Endgame.

In their same conversation with the New York Times, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely revealed the challenges of the time heist's other settings, and different iterations that were crafted. As the duo of writers said:

MARKUS: Thor had long scenes with Natalie Portman. And Morag [the planet where Peter Quill finds the Orb] was hugely complicated.

McFEELY: It was underwater! That was clever but it was just too big a set piece. What that didn’t do is allow for Thanos and his daughters to get on the trail at the right moment. So we went back to when Peter Quill was there. And we realized that when you can punch Quill in the face, it’s hilarious. I still think it’s hilarious.

Avengers: Endgame's time heist was not only tricky for the surviving heroes, but also for the writers who had to plan out the easter egg-filled act of the film. Figuring out just how the Avengers would travel back and acquire the Infinity Stones was a major task for Marcus and McFeely. While some of the teams had long sequences like the Battle of New York, Nebula and War Machine's acquisition of the Power Stone was hilariously easy. At least, until Thanos showed up and made a mess of things.

While the original version of Endgame featured a longer scene with Natalie Portman's Jane, it was ultimately Thor's mother Frigga who had the biggest impact during the Thor: The Dark World revisit. Instead, Jane was brought back through old footage of Portman, as the Oscar winning actress has left her Marvel role behind.

Christopher Marcus and Stephen McFeely's struggle with the Avengers: Endgame time heist was partly because they didn't want to pander to the audience or go over the top with fan service. Quite a few misguided plot devices were considered in this process, as the duo attempted to craft a time traveling story that left out the Battle of New York. As they put it:

MARKUS: There were entirely other trips taken. They went to the Triskelion at one point to get the [Tesseract], and then somebody was going to get into a car and drive to Doctor Strange’s house.

McFEELY: Just saying it out loud, it’s like, what are we doing?

MARKUS: It was when we were trying to avoid going to Avengers because it seemed pander-y.

If you thought that Avengers: Endgame was dizzying in theaters, imagine what it was like to create the complicated story. The writing process ultimately worked out quite well for Markus and McFeely, as their work is being universally celebrated by both critics and moviegoers alike. They somehow pulled off the impossible with Infinity War and Endgame, crating a pair of blockbusters that balanced action with character-driven plot.

Avengers: Endgame managed to largely keep its secrets, and Christopher Marcus and Stephen McFeely packed in endless surprises and long awaited payoffs throughout the Russo Brothers' massive final movie. It was the true finale of the Infinity Saga, and there's no telling what's coming next for the MCU.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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What About X-Men? The Rights Issues That Complicate Marvel And Disney's MCU

What About X-Men? The Rights Issues That Complicate Marvel And Disney's MCU

Avengers: Endgame was the fantastic end to the first arc of an even more ambitious experiment in film history: the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A mega conglomerate of various characters previously scattered to the winds through various rights holders, the MCU is basically the Infinity Gauntlet of cinematic universes.

But if you go back a couple decades, it was a possibility that didn’t look like it’d ever get off the ground. It took a lot of time and business dealings through various movers and shakers, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe eventually formed into the beast that it is today through some well-timed moves.

Of course, there are still some properties out there, in the wild, waiting to come home. And then there are others, with Fox's X-Men franchise being arguably the biggest, which have recently been brought back into the fold, but need to have their entrances planned. Either way, the history behind Marvel’s cinematic endeavors, and how they came to be, spell out the hurdles of both the company's past and future films, and how they complicate the completion of Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe. So let's go over them!

How The Marvel Movies Came Into Existence

Before Marvel Studios existed, Marvel Entertainment Group was the big tent under which Marvel Films operated as a division. The properties of the storied Marvel Comics brand would be shopped to other studios for production, and this era led to some interesting results.

Under the Marvel Entertainment Group era, the original film versions for both The Punisher with Dolph Lundgren and Captain America with Reb Brown were made, as well as an entire film version of The Fantastic Four produced by Roger Corman. That last project was never officially released, seeing as it was merely made in order for production company Constantin Films to keep the rights, but neither The Punisher or Captain America were terribly big hits.

Eventually, Marvel Studios was born out of Marvel Films’ past history, and started with a big deal involving 20th Century Fox. For seven years, Fox and Marvel Studios would make films like the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises, as well as Daredevil and Elektra. But even with that deal in place, and producer Avi Arad as the big wheel behind it all, the universe of Marvel films was fractured due to a lot more licensing deals in the works with other studios.

How The Rights For Marvel’s Early Films Were Split

As previously mentioned, The Punisher and Captain America were both previously made into films, as was The Fantastic Four under the older Marvel Entertainment Group run of things. But in addition to those properties, there were two really big hits that happened at other studios, all thanks to Marvel’s practice of licensing to almost anyone who had the right deal.

The first was 1998’s Blade, which made New Line Cinema a big name in the late ‘90’s, as well as boosted Wesley Snipes’ star standing in Hollywood. The franchise would run for three films, and one TV show, with Blade: Trinity being the final film in that particular line.

The second, and perhaps most successful run of films outside of the Fox deal was Spider-Man, which was licensed to Sony alongside a whole bunch of spinoff possibilities. Starting with 2002’s Spider-Man and running through 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the five Spidey films ran before and during the MCU’s launch.

Some other notable set-ups in the wilderness years were the fact that New Line Cinema originally had the rights to Iron Man, as well as the fact that Lionsgate precursor Artisan Entertainment had a deal to make films with heroes such as Thor, Black Widow, Deadpool and The Punisher. Lionsgate would make an attempt at Marvel cinematic glory with Punisher: War Zone, but the film would only find its feet as a cult hit in the years after its release.

Last, but not least, Universal Studios held the rights to two characters, Hulk and Namor the Sub-Mariner, which would only see one of those characters leading their own movie pre-MCU (2003's Hulk). Still, this positioned the studio to become a future power player as Marvel Studios entered its next phase.

How The Marvel Cinematic Universe Came Together

There was an idea: that Marvel Studios would partner with a big Hollywood fixture to create a singular slate of superhero hits for the public to see. And this idea ultimately came down to two potential partners: Universal, which had Hulk and Namor, and Paramount, which was a more amenable partner when Universal didn’t work out.

As early as 2004, Marvel Studios had a slate of heroes it wanted to use which included the following heroes and properties: Ant-Man, The Avengers, Black Panther, Captain America, Cloak & Dagger, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, Power Pack and Shang-Chi. The initial plan was to deliver two films a year, aimed squarely at the PG-13 rating.

Eventually, acquisitions would be made, and Iron Man would join that group, as well as Universal coming aboard with a deal that allowed an MCU-set Hulk film to be made. Hulk’s rights would be at Marvel, with Universal retaining a stake in that character, as the studio has right of first refusal for distribution.

Through all of these shake-ups and shifts in power, one man rose to the top: Kevin Feige. Starting out in the early days of Marvel Studios, Feige went from junior executive to President of Production with Iron Man, installing him as the mastermind who would see the MCU become a beacon of comic movie making.

The studio that started operations out of a Mercedes Benz dealership became a powerhouse with 2008’s Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr, and eventually was bought in 2009 by the Walt Disney Company for a cool $4 billion. Slowly, other properties like Daredevil, The Punisher and Blade would be reacquired after their runs with other studios expired. That said, there are still some interesting logistics that would need to shake out, in order for the MCU to become whole again.

The Notable Properties Still Outside Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, by and large, a pretty collective whole, there’s still some gaps that are outstanding in the total portfolio. While some of these are patched thanks to recent deals and shared agreements, it’s still an interesting landscape to take a deeper look into.

In particular, there seem to be three studios that have stood in the way of Disney and Marvel completing their Infinity Gauntlet of intellectual property. One has already become a vanquished foe of sorts, with two still going strong. Here’s where we stand so far with the most notable properties outside of the MCU, and the studios that hold the cards. First off, let's look at that vanquished foe, Fox.

The Marvel Rights Held By Fox

Obviously, before its acquisition, 20th Century Fox held some pretty powerful cards in its Marvel Universe deck. While Daredevil and Elektra eventually went home to Marvel proper, Fox still held onto some pretty big names in the Marvel Universe. Most importantly, Fox still had the X-Men series, with The New Mutants and Deadpool spun off from that world.

But in addition to those popular titles, 20th Century Fox had the Fantastic Four series in its back pocket. With two relatively successful films in 2005 and 2007, and the not-so-successful reboot in 2015, Fox retained ownership of that particular property, making any potential crossover adaptations even harder to potentially execute.

However, since 20th Century Fox has been newly acquired by the Walt Disney Company, the only real questions with these characters is how to incorporate them into the Marvel Cinematic Universe fold, through both pre-existing films and/or reboot potential. Still, this turn of events being such a recent development does scupper any sort of crossover hopes for the time being, as even Kevin Feige has mentioned that in the case of the X-Men, it’ll be years before anything happens.

The Marvel Rights Held By Universal

While Universal only has two properties that it can lay claim to tying up, both seem to be in somewhat usable shape with Marvel Studios. In the case of The Hulk, the problem isn’t as pronounced, as Marvel and Universal share ownership of the character.

However, the big problem comes from Universal getting a right of first refusal for distribution rights to any future Hulk films. Which means that so long as that clause is in play, and the public demands a solo film with Bruce Banner and his green rage filled half, it probably won’t happen as Disney’s going to want to distribute without as much interference as possible

The only other character that Universal laid claim to was Namor the Sub-Mariner, and while he has recently reverted to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are still some complications involved. Though, when last asked about the subject, Kevin Feige specified that it was really a matter of where or when Namor would pop up in the MCU.

The Marvel Rights Held By Sony

The greatest thorn in the side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, without question, Sony and its grasp on the rights to the Spider-Man films. With Disney and Sony sharing the usage of Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony still gets to “finance, distribute, own and have final creative control” over Spider-Man.

On top of that, there are other Marvel characters that Sony maintains ownership over, with an entire slate of films that it has branched its properties out into. Starting with last year’s big hits Venom and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, the Sony contingent looks strong as ever. Though there are further films that are in the works that will only complicate any future moves that Disney may have in the works to make Peter Parker a part of its family.

In particular, the Morbius and Spider Women films in production could potentially make Sony the biggest source of competition for Disney and Marvel Studios. Should the Silver Sable or Black Cat projects that were previously mentioned as in production get back on track in their own ways as well, that’s another source of revenue that only makes Sony’s hold on Spider-Man that much greater.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a pretty expansive haven of Marvel Comics’ intellectual property, and in its current state, it’s pretty comprehensive. But with the outstanding rights issues and decisions ahead that Marvel Studios still faces, there will still be limits as to which characters and storylines will be able to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For now though, Avengers: Endgame signifies the height of the MCU’s character roster, and can be enjoyed by audiences all over in theaters now.

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Hellboy’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Here, and It’s Rough

Hellboy’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Here, and It’s Rough

Guillermo del Toro's two Hellboy films struggled at the box office, but both movies reviewed quite well when they were released. The box office prospects of the newly rebooted Hellboy have yet to be realized, but on the review side of things...it's not going well. Just hours before the first general audiences get a look at the new Hellboy, the movie sits with a Rotten Tomatoes score of an abysmal (demon joke) 12%.

Specifically, as of this writing, that number represents 60 total reviews, with only seven of them qualifying as positive. That's actually a fairly small number of reviews for a wide release film that's expected to be the biggest opener of the weekend. However, in many markets, press were not given screenings of the film prior to release, so a lot of critics simply haven't seen the film yet. Of course, when critics aren't given screenings, that's frequently a sign of something bad, and the reviews that have come out have clearly confirmed that.

Still, there are always movies that critics don't love, but 88% of critics disliking a movie is quite a feat. For comparison, that puts Hellboy a point below Tyler Perry's A Medea Family Funeral which scored a 13% positive score. It's bringing up the rear for this weekend's major releases. Laika's Missing Link is sitting at a healthy 89% while the comedy Little isn't fairing well, but with a 52% score it looks like an Oscar contender compared to Hellboy.

There was a time when we expected genre material based on comic books to not be great. It was frequently reviewed poorly whether or not it found an audience. However, these days we're much more used to seeing this sort of material actually turn out well. The reasons that Hellboy has crashed so hard with critics are as varied as the critics themselves. The CGI is bad. The story is a mess. The characters go nowhere. It's all sizzle and no steak. If you like over the top violence with a story that seemingly goes everywhere at once, then maybe this is the movie for you after all.

Of course, it remains to be seen if any of this actually matters. While audiences and critics tend to be in rough alignment more often than people realize, the fact is that the two sides can certainly diverge. Critics can love movies that audiences don't bother with, this happens frequently with "awards bait" movies in the last quarter of the year, and audiences can embrace movies that critics hate. In the end, it's the audience response that will determine whether Hellboy is truly a success, or if it becomes the beginning of the new franchise is obviously would like to be.

There will likely be an influx of additional reviews for Hellboy as more critics see the film over opening weekend, but there's certainly no reason to expect a massive change in the overall response. If the film was on the border between "Fresh" and "Rotten" a couple decent reviews might make the difference, but that's far from where this one finds itself.

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The Important Hulk Story That Almost Showed Up In Avengers: Infinity War

The Important Hulk Story That Almost Showed Up In Avengers: Infinity War

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are ahead!

After getting a beating from Thanos at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, not only did Hulk not emerge for the rest of that movie, that ended up being the last time we saw the Green Goliath in this brutish form. During Avengers: Endgame, sometime in the five years after The Decimation occurred, Bruce Banner merged his intellect with Hulk’s brawn, resulting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of the Professor Hulk personality.

However, it turns out we could have seen a more intelligent Hulk earlier in the MCU, as Stephen McFeely, who co-wrote both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame with Christopher Markus, revealed:

We originally had Smart Hulk in Infinity War.

You’ll recall that in Avengers: Infinity War, Bruce Banner tried several times to get the Hulk to come out, but his monstrous other half refused, requiring Bruce to don the Hulkbuster armor when Thanos’ forces invaded Wakanda. While some speculated that Hulk was scared to jump back into battle after being pummeled by Thanos, directors Joe and Anthony Russo explained that Hulk had actually “had enough of saving Banner's ass.”

Either way, as Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus explained to Fandango, originally the plan in Avengers: Infinity War was for Bruce Banner to fix his “communication problems” with Hulk and transform into Smart Hulk just in time for the final conflict in Wakanda. However, it was decided late in the creative process that this shift didn’t feel tonally right, so it was scrapped and saved for Avengers: Endgame.

Which brings us to the above moment that was shown in the first Avengers: Infinity War trailer, where Hulk is charging into battle alongside his allies. Obviously that moment never occurred in the movie, but rather than simply being filmed to fool audiences, this was originally intended to be an actual scene, only rather than getting more of normal, angry Hulk, that’s a Hulk with significantly improved intelligence who’s getting ready to kick some ass.

This makes for a cool ‘what could have been’ scenario (another if Hulk had been dusted), but within the actual MCU timeline, it took a little longer for Bruce Banner to finally achieve a balance with The Hulk. When he finally stopped looking at Hulk as a problem and instead as a solution, Bruce brought the best of both worlds together through gamma radiation, allowing him to finally achieve a sense of peace and the world to see Hulk as a proper superhero.

The emergence of Professor Hulk marked the conclusion of the special Hulk “trilogy” that began in Thor: Ragnarok. There’s no word yet on if we’ll be seeing more of Hulk going into the MCU’s Phase 4 and beyond, but Mark Ruffalo has at least one movie left on his contract, so perhaps Marvel Studios will give fans another taste of this more reasonable and dignified version of the Green Goliath in action.

Make sure you read CinemaBlend’s review of Avengers: Endgame and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the biggest updates concerning the MCU. If you’re curious about what movies the superhero franchise has coming, check out our comprehensive guide.

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